Sieur de Kéréon

Governor of Plaisance, 1655

In 1655, after several attacks against French fishing vessels by the British, King Louis XIV
decided that France should have a colony at Plaisance (Placentia), a port that sometimes sheltered
Basque or English fishermen. The king, also believing that colonization would be best carried out
under the eye of a governor, named Sieur de Kéréon as governor of Placentia.

However, the Estates of Brittany contested this appointment fearing that efforts to establish a
permanent colony would have an unfavourable effect on ports such as St. Malo. They were also
worried that metropolitan fishermen would no longer be permitted to fish in Newfoundland
waters and that taxes would increase. As a result, this effort to create a permanent French
settlement did not get off the ground, and Sieur de Kéréon was unable to assume his duties as
governor.